Obituaries

The funeral service for Kathryn Ann (Kathy) Winter was held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at the United Methodist church in Gregory, SD, with Pastor Russ Grim officiating. Music was provided by Bette Fogel, pianist. Ferlin Husky was soloist for “On the Wings of a Dove.” Dick and Sally Shaffer were in charge of registration, and flower attendants were Paula Sundquist and John & Cheri Hansen. Casket bearers were Tim Drey, Jason Cernetisch, Dustin McIntosh, Scott Drews, Jarrod Serr, Jay Johnson, Amber Blum, and Evan Davis. Interment was at IOOF Cemetery in Gregory, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

A funeral service for Pauline Marie Hartog was held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 7, 2025, at Union Congregational Church in Gregory, SD, with Pastor Tim Voigt officiating. West River Nurses Honor Guard conducted a special ceremony to honor Pauline’s work and life. Music was provided by Kelly Frank, soloist, and Jeanie Kotrba and DeNelda Fortuna, accompanists. Heather, Mia, and Kiki Haines were in charge of registration, and Jeanie Kotrba, Kass Witt, and Tamara Lynass were flower attendants. Todd Hieb, Wally Eklund, Bart Birkland, Sonny Plugge, Jim Brunz, and Hank Wonnenberg were casket bearers. All of Pauline’s coffee friends were honorary casket bearers.

A funeral service for Ivan Arthur Wille was held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Colome, SD, with Pastor Don Windsperger officiating. Music was provided by Roxie Summerville, organist.

Funeral services for Eleanor Virginia Vakiner were held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 24, 2025, at Prairie View Gospel Barn with Pastor Kenley Udd officiating. Music was provided by Randy Donavon and Rod Dobesh. Amy Meinen and Tracy Dehning were flower attendants, and Becky Zimmerman and Jean Duerfeldt were in charge of registration. Casket bearers were Rod Dobesh, Doug Lindquist, Charlie Wolf, Dwight Ellwanger, Keith Ellwanger, and Ivan Nelson. All the staff at Community Memorial Hospital in Burke were honorary casket bearers.

Donna Johnson was born April 15, 1928, in Gregory, SD, the eldest child of the late Lyle and Gladys McCright. Donna enjoyed her family and extended relatives, which included her five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who all live in the Southern California area, with the exception of a grandson who resides in Hawaii, along with numerous nephews and nieces and their families in various states, including her late brother Bob’s two children, Virginia (Ginny) in Minnesota and Robert (Rob) in Arizona. Donna lived a fulfilling life, having lived in South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Arizona, Oregon, and Southern California with her husband of 73 years, Bob (Robert D.) Johnson.

Private family graveside services were held Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at Highland Cemetery in Fairfax, SD. Emmett Kotrba officiated. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Lori Ann Koenig was born Sunday, April 11, 1965, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Lynch, NE, to Donald and Betty (Stoltenberg) Bentz. She was the only daughter. Lori had four brothers: Darrell, Allen, Chad, and Kevin. She was baptized June 2, 1965 at the United Church of Christ in Fairfax, SD. Lori went to school in Fairfax, where she graduated with the class of 1983. On December 10, 1983, she was united in marriage to Randy Koenig, and to this union one daughter, Charity Lynn, was born in May 1984.

Funeral services for Bryon James Vogt were held Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., at the auditorium in Naper with Pastor John Nelson officiating. Casket bearers were members of the Naper Volunteer Fire Department.

A memorial to celebrate the life of Gregory E. Seeley will be held Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Porter Funeral Home, Lenexa, KS.

Funeral services for Eleanor Vakiner, age 97, of Gregory, SD, will be held on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie View Gospel Barn in Gregory, SD. Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery. Visitation one hour prior to the funeral service. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Cremation services for Kenneth E. Smith have taken place. A family burial will be planned for a later date with military honors. Clausen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Ken Smith was born on March 3, 1929. He attended Sunnyside School for his first eight years of school and then attended Burke High School, graduating in 1947. While in high school, he participated in football, track, and boxing. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, and spent most of his four years in Japan and Korea, and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. After the service he attended Southern State Teachers College, and worked one year in Winner as a mechanic. He returned to the farm and spent the rest of his life farming with his dad, and taking care of his folks in their later years. During the earlier years when not farming he spent a lot of time playing baseball for the Lucas and Burke ball clubs as a pitcher for these teams.